The Ship Carpenters Wife -

Someone on "Mudcat" was enquiring about a song about a man who sold his wife (maybe a form of divorce), for the price of a few drinks.

My son Seamus saw the request and we got to talking about the above. I got the song from Frank Harte - The Human Encyclopedia of songs. Frank used to sing a lot of very serious (and very long) songs about Napoleon etc. but he also had a vast store of faintly amusing ditties.

It was decided to go to Norwich Folk Festival one year in the mid 70's. Phil and Dot Callery and Frank Harte went from Dublin. Denis Ryan, Liz and I went from the midlands. Norwich festival was fine but the real highlight for me was an afternoon in some kind of canteen. All the above mentioned were present and so was Nic Jones and Steve Turner.
Great singing ensued.

Nic Jones sang a version of " Last summer I went swimming" (McGarrigles?), Steve Turner I had never heard of but by God he could sing- A powerful and melodious voice- "Barrets Privateers" was a song he lashed out that day. I only found out later that he was a super concertina player.
Frank Harte sang and I taped " The ship Carpenters Wife".

The Ship Carpenters Wife

Come all you young fellows you flourishing folk,
Its truly a fact now i'm going to involk,
Its truly a fact now i'm going to unfold
Its concerning a woman by auction was sold.

A shipscarpenter lived a few miles out of here
And he was rather too fond of the beer
He was hard up for cash and as sure as my life
For Ten Shillings by auction he sold off the wife.

He called for a Salesman who conducted the sale
Up in the High market where he couldn't fail
The auctioneer came with his hammer so smart
And the Carpenters wife she stood up in the cart

She stood there for hours without grumble or groan
Up came a sailor he bid half a crown
He promised to make her a lady so spruce
and he'd feed her well up on cabbage and goose.

Next was a cobbler he gave a loud bawl
Nine shillings I'll give for her muscles and all
Bedamn said the sailor she one out of four
Ten shillings i'll give you and damn the screw more

"Oh thank you, oh thank you" said the bold auctioneer,
"She's going, she's going, is there nobody here
who will bid anymore - I'm afraid its no job
She's going, she's going she's away for ten bob"

He struck down the hammer and concluded the sale
Up came the sailor and paid on the nail.
He shook hands with his Betsy and gave her a smack
And then straight straddle legs he jumped up on her back

He called for a fiddler and fifer to play,
they danced and they sung there until it was day
then Jack to his bed or his hammock did go
And the fiddler and fifer played 'Rosin the bow'.

Now Jack is content with his ten shilling wife
long may they flourish and prosper through life
long may he flourish and prosper through life
The young sailor who bought The Ship Carpenters Wife.